Boxing gurus descend on Vic Falls
FOR three days this week, Zimbabwe will grab the attention of the world boxing family as the country stages two high-profile events in Victoria Falls.
The World Boxing Council (WBC) All-Africa officials training workshop and the African Boxing Union (ABU) Convention will run concurrently in the resort town from July 25 to July 27.
Top officials from both WBC and ABU are expected in the country for the events, which are set to put Zimbabwe on the world map and market the country as a safe and destination of choice.
To spice up the event, which also promotes sports tourism, legendary female boxer Monalisa “Queen of the Jungle” Sibanda will defend her Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) lightweight title against Ugandan Small Valente.
The title fight, which will be supported by a number of matches on the undercard, is being promoted by local boxing promoter Stalin Mau Mau.
A new executive of the ABU will also be elected in Victoria Falls.
“The hosting of these two events is going to put Zimbabwe on the global map because all attention is going to be on Zimbabwe for the duration of these events,” said Lawrence Zimbudzana, chief executive officer for the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (ZNBWCB).
“It is an opportunity for Zimbabwe to demonstrate to the rest of the world our commitment and seriousness when it comes to boxing development.”
Zimbabwe has in recent years produced international champions such as Charles Manyuchi, Peter Pambeni, Brendon “Boika” Denes, Kudakwashe Chiwandire and Sibanda.
Manyuchi held the WBC Silver welterweight title in 2016, Pambeni captured the WBO Africa lightweight belt in August 2019, while Denes is a former WBO Africa welterweight champion.
Chiwandire, who has also been invited to attend the event, is the reigning WBC Interim Super bantamweight champion.
She is set to defend her title against Mexican Zulina Munoz in Harare on
August 27.
“We are actually demonstrating that Zimbabwe is indeed a serious boxing nation and we have the capabilities of hosting events of this magnitude and even bigger events like the World Boxing Council Convention itself,” said Zimbudzana.
This is an opportunity for local officials to get world-class training to be considered for big WBC fights.
The convention is also a chance to promote sports tourism.
“The delegates will have a chance to experience Zimbabwean hospitality at its best and we believe that these people will become our de facto ambassadors …“The ABU Convention is basically a platform where the administrators and governors of boxing in Africa converge and deliberate in terms of latest trends in the sport, the latest rules and also deliberate on the governance structure of boxing in Africa.”
Further, the convention will give local promoters a chance to network with influential figures in boxing.